How to Fight a Magic Curse: A Snoggletog Story for 2019
by Marty the Martian
Summary: Ah Snoggletog: a time of joy and good cheer... and hangovers... and surprises... and nightmares... and Berserkers... lazy dragons... and (Odin help us) Thorston traps (sigh)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone and a Happy Snoggletog to you all :D**

**This year's tale has a few references to last year's Snoggletog story. You don't need to have read it but it may help a bit. **

**Hope you like it, Marty.**

How to Fight a Magic Curse

A Snoggletog Story for 2019

Chapter 1

A light snowfall dusted Berk with a soft icy coating; it was a bright moonlit night only a few days before Snoggletog and most of Berk rested peacefully. The sun rose late at this time of year and most of the Vikings took advantage of the extra hours of darkness to sleep late. They had all worked hard throughout the entire year, preparing for the long harsh winter and now that all roofs and storm shutters had been maintained, all stores were filled to overflowing with food supplies, and many tons of firewood had been cut and stacked, the entire village could afford to take it easy for a few months. Yes there would still be work needing to be done, but Chief Stoick the Vast had done the village proud once more by ensuring every inhabitant of Berk had prepared well during the short summer months.

It was barely five-o-clock in the morning and the only two residents of Berks who were stirring at this early hour were Fishlegs Ingerman and Astrid Hofferson. Fishlegs was busy getting ready for his trip to Dragon Island by checking his camping equipment, food supplies and ensuring he had enough of the custom made carrying baskets for all the baby dragons born during this year's hatching season. Some breeds of dragon had already left Berk for the nesting grounds and Fishlegs fully expected to find some hatchlings as soon as he arrived later in the day.

He felt honoured to be one of the two Vikings chosen this year to guard the nesting grounds from rogue dragons, and the even greater risk of Dragon Hunters. He knew he could rely on his partner to fight to the death if any problem should arise, even though nothing major had ever happened in the past. But he also knew that Snotlout Jorgensen could not be trusted to be fully prepared on time. This was why Fishlegs arose early to double check their gear.

The situation was very different in the home of Astrid Hofferson. Unlike Fishlegs, she was still asleep in bed, but she was expending far more energy than the determined Gronckle rider. For the past few nights, Astrid had been experiencing some horrific nightmares and each new dream was far worse than the last. She would dream of battle, but not in the usual Viking way. Instead of axe, sword and hammer, Astrid dreamt she fought hand to hand against an enemy with the appearance of black lightning, roaring in her face and defying her attacks.

Just as she had every other night that week, Astrid awoke with a start; she was half frozen and yet completely covered in sweat. Her bed coverings lay strewn all over the floor, thrown in all directions as she had thrashed about in imagined combat. Jumping out of bed, Astrid ran over to the fire pit in the centre of the room. She grabbed her fire iron from its stand and poked at the cold dead pile of ash until she had uncovered a few hot coals, still smouldering underneath from the night before.

Out of the wood box, the freezing girl picked out several pieces of kindling and placed them in strategic locations inside the pit. On top of these she placed a few small split wedges with two half logs on the top. Leaning in close, Astrid blew lightly on the embers until they began to glow red hot. At last a small yellow flame appeared on one of the kindling sticks, slowly spreading to the rest of the light fuel. While the fire gradually grew, Astrid went to the kitchen to retrieve a large kettle of water, which she hung from a hinged hook before swinging it out over the now considerable fire.

It would take the large volume of water a long time to heat up so she returned to her bed and picked up one of her fallen blankets. She then sat down in front of the fire to warm herself, swinging blanket over her shoulders. To Astrid's surprise, her arm went right though the cloth, so she lifted the blanket up between herself and the fire to examine it. The dancing orange light shone brightly through several large tears in the fabric, and she found the sight to be quite disturbing.

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A few houses away, three other residents of Berk were having no trouble sleeping at all. Getting up in the morning though was a completely different problem.

"Hey there Bud, you ready to face the day?"

Instead of his normal boisterous greeting, Toothless decided it far too early and far too cold to leave his warm wooden slab in his warm wooden home; and so with a grumpish snort, the black dragon made it clear that he intended to ignore his best friend for the time being.

"Okay you lazy lump; I guess I'll see you later in the morning" Hiccup grinned.

Walking down the stairs to the sound of his father's snoring echoing throughout the house, Hiccup threw a few pieces of wood into the fire pit, pulled a yak skin coat over his shoulders and stepped outside. It may have been early in the morning, but he had a few important tasks to do. He found the first task busily working at the bottom of the hill, between Gobbers forge and the town's central dragon feeder.

"Good morning Fishlegs" Hiccup greeted his friend "Looks like you're almost ready to go."

"Indeed yes Hiccup; I do believe I have enough food and equipment to last till we return in a few days time."

"I'd say 'enough' is a bit of an understatement" Hiccup replied as he examined the pile of boxes and packages.

"Well I figured since I was going with Snotlout, it would be best if I pack enough for him too; I doubt he has even gotten out of bed yet, let alone packed for the trip."

"That's where you're wrong Fish Breath" Snotlout declared proudly as he approached "Not only am I out of bed, but I am all packed.

Snotlout tossed a small satchel at Hiccups feet, crossed his arms and gave his 'I'm a winner' smile to the world.

"That's all you're taking?" Hiccup raised his eyebrows.

"Oh Hiccup, don't you see? A real Viking doesn't need a lot of equipment. A real Viking only needs what is in that pack" Snotlout nodded.

"Okay then let's have a look at what a real Viking needs to survive for a few days on Dragon Island" Hiccup picked up the satchel.

"Be my guest" Snotlout gave a wave of indifference "I am always ready to help educate my fellow Dragon Riders."

"Let's see here" Hiccup peered inside "a hunting knife, a sharpening stone, a fishing line... and what's this?"

Deep in the bottom of the bag, Hiccup could see something unusual. Reaching in he picked up what appeared to be a small crocheted Yak wearing a knitted Viking helmet. Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, Snotlout snatched the soft toy away from Hiccup.

"HEY! I'll thank you not to handle Mister Yak Yak so roughly."

"You still sleep with Mister Yak Yak?" Fishlegs giggled.

"NO... I just keep him with me because... he brings me good luck" Snotlout insisted.

"And you're gonna need all the luck you can get" Hiccup tried to get back on track "You can't just take the minimum of survival gear; where's your food? Where's your shelter and blankets?"

"Humph; a real Viking needs not such luxuries" Snotlout turned up his nose "A real Viking lives off the land."

"It's the middle of winter Snotlout" Hiccup argued "Even in a cave you're gonna freeze without blankets. And there is very little vegetation on Dragon Island so you're gonna need to take some firewood. Also the only wildlife in the area are the dragons; are you planning to eat the dragons?"

"I can catch fish" Snotlout insisted.

"The only fish off Dragon Island are in the deep water and you don't have a boat."

"There's always a river."

"No rivers on Dragon Island" Hiccup sighed.

"Hookie can take me to another island nearby."

"IT'S NESTING SEASON SNOTLOUT; HOOKFANG IS GOING TO BE BUSY WITH HIS NEW OFFSPRING! THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GOING; TO PROTECT THE DRAGONS IF THE HUNTERS SHOULD DARE TO TRY ANYTHING."

"Alright, alright... no need to blow your top" Snotlout declared "I'll go get more supplies."

It was only the beginning of the day, but Hiccup already felt like going back to bed; preferably until springtime.

"Don't worry Hiccup, I'll take care of him" Fishlegs said comfortingly.

"Thank you Fishlegs... but you shouldn't have to" Hiccup sighed again.

"Hiccup is right my good man, don't you worry about a thing; Thorston and Thorston are on the case. You toddle off to Dragon Island, and let Ruffnut and I take care of Berks monster problem."

The sudden appearance of the twins was both confusing and unwelcome; much like the twins themselves.

"Tuffnut... what are you doing here... and what are you talking about?" Hiccup sighed to the tenth power.

"What am I talking about?" Tuffnut looked confused "The monster that Fishlegs said he was going to take care of."

"He was talking about Snotlout and WHAT MONSTER?"

"Haven't you heard? Ruffnut wondered.

"Apparently he has not dear sister" Tuffnut said in his best thespian voice "It seems our future chief is a very heavy sleeper and thus, he hath not heard the odd sounds in the night. Nor has he seen the damage left by the creature."

Hiccup looked at the twins with dismay. The last thing he needed now was another Thorston prank.

"Listen you two" he scowled "play your games if you must, but please leave me out of it."

"I do believe that Hiccup doth doubt our sincerity" Ruffnut turned up her nose.

"Just... go away... please?" Hiccup pleaded "At lease till after I've had some breakfast."

Of all the voices he had heard so far that morning, the next one actually calmed Hiccup's rapidly beating heart.

"Breakfast... now there's an idea whose time has come. Shall I make you some of my famous scrambled eggs?"

"Yes... please, I would love to..." Hiccup suddenly stopped when he turned and looked into Astrid's eyes.

"What?" she shrugged.

"Umm... are you okay?" he asked with genuine concern.

"Sure... just a little tired" Astrid smiled "Didn't sleep well last night but I feel fine now."

"Yeah... good... um... breakfast... would be..."

Today was not proving to be Hiccup's day. Just when things were finally moving along in the right direction, the Yellow Warbler of Disappointment put in an unscheduled appearance, followed closely behind by the Pelican of Everything going Down the Toilet.

"BROTHEEERR!"

"Oh Thor" Hiccup sighed as Windshear and Sluther swooped in behind him.

"Brother it's so good to see you" Dagur declared as he jumped from his Triple Stryke dragon and grabbed Hiccup in a powerful bear hug.

"Yes... Dagur... good to see you too but... why am I seeing you?"

"Dagur is a little concerned about the dragons leaving for the nesting grounds on Dragon Island" Heather informed them.

"So you've decided to spend Snoggletog here on Berk... great" Hiccup tried to sound sincere.

"On no Brother; as much as I love it here, I've decided to spend some time with you when you go to Dragon Island."

"Ah... well... the thing is Dagur, I'm not going to with the dragons this year; Fishlegs and Snotlout are the ones on duty and I don't think..."

"EVEN BETTER!" Dagur announced loudly "Who better to teach me about this yearly dragon exodus than your number one dragon expert?"

"He's got a point Hiccup" Snotlout declared proudly "Who indeed would be better than yours truly to..."

"I think he was talking about Fishlegs" Astrid sneered.

"Seriously though Dagur, why don't you stay with us?" Hiccup suggested "Heather has spent Snoggletog here before and she will tell you, there is feasting and celebration, punching under the missing toe, and we even have a new improved Yak Nog."

"Humph; no need to rub it in" Astrid grumped.

"I'm afraid my brother has his heart set on going with his dragon" Heather nodded "I think he's concerned Sluther may not come back again."

"Don't worry Hiccup" Fishlegs smiled comfortingly "Between the two of us, I'm sure Heather and I can take care of... I mean teach... Dagur all there is to know about nesting season."

"Yes and I'll help too" Snotlout insisted, trying to sound important.

"As long as you all remember, Fishlegs is in charge" Hiccup reminded them.

"It's okay Hiccup" Heather stepped in, taking Fishlegs' arm "I'll make sure Dagur does as he's told... and Snotlout too."

Hiccup did feel better knowing Heather would be there. She was a good leader and knew how to follow the chain of command. She had influence over her brother Dagur, and she had Snotlout well and truly under her thumb; so having her working with Fishlegs would ensure everything would go smoothly. Even Astrid seemed willing to accept the situation.

"Come on Heather, I'll help you stock up with supplies for you and Dagur" she offered.

"Um... thanks Astrid but... are you okay?" Heather asked when her friend came closer.

"What is it with everyone today?" Astrid threw up her arms in frustration "I'm fine... just a little tired, that's all!"

It did not take long for Hiccup and Astrid to help Heather and Dagur get ready for their trip, while Fishlegs double checked on Snotlout. Even though things normally went smoothly for the dragons themselves, something always seemed to go wrong for the Dragon Riders during the nesting season, so the future leaders of Berk were both pleased to see their friends flying off fully supplied and ready for anything.

"So um... Breakfast?" Hiccup asked as the dragons disappeared over the horizon.

"Breakfast! Astrid smiled as she took his hand.

As they walked off together, the couple failed to notice the twins still lurking nearby. Tuffnut had taken apart one of Hiccup's spyglasses and was using the larger lens to examine a mark on the ground.

"Here's another one" he declared as Ruffnut knelt down beside him.

"Ah... I see it has the same paw pattern as the others, along with the three deep claw marks" she noted.

"Very observant of you my dear sister" Tuffnut nodded "I do believe we now have all the evidence we need in order to take action."

"Thorston traps?" Ruffnut grinned.

"I declare you have read my mind oh noble sibling" Tuffnut agreed.

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**Yeah I know its still November, but this is the longest Snoggletog story yet; so I have to start now in order to have it posted by Christmas. I had a lot of trouble coming up with last years story so I started working on ideas for this years in late January. In the end there were two stories I could not decide between, so in the end I decided to combining them both into one tale.**

**You should see a new chapter every few days in the lead up to Hogswatch... I mean Snoggletog... no I mean Christmas!**

**(sigh) So many names for one holiday, Marty. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Thanks to a stiff tail wind, Fishlegs knew the trip to Dragon Island would not take too long. He looked forward to witnessing the hatching of so many new dragons, as well as taking the responsibility to oversee this important time. As he mentally ran through the plans he had made, like making camp, assigning tasks to the other riders and setting up a lookout post, Dagur and his Triple Stryke drew closer and flew alongside.

"Hey there Dagur" Fishlegs greeted "Are you as excited about seeing all the baby dragons as I am?"

"Excited... yes... but also a little concerned" Dagur said seriously.

"Concerned?" Fishlegs wondered.

"Yes... back on Berk I noticed you and my sister were... shall we say... very chummy?"

"Heather and I have been friends for a number of years now" Fishlegs stated.

"And there is nothing wrong with that" Dagur smiled a smile that said there was something wrong "but you have to realise that things have changed in the last few months."

"Um... changed how?" Fishlegs was a little confused.

"She is the daughter of Oswald the Agreeable" Dagur pointed out "So as a rightful leader in the Berserker Tribe, any... close friend of Heather... would have to be worthy on her."

"Worthy?" Fishlegs sneered at the suggestion.

"Dagurs right Fish Breath."

As was usual, Snotlout decided to stick his nose into where it clearly did not belong. The others had not noticed he and Hookfang gliding silently above and behind them, giving Snotlout the perfect opportunity to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"You see Fishy, a girl of Heathers stature should only be seen with someone on her own social level; not with a commoner like you."

"Blunt, but correct" Dagur agreed "Indeed the only member of the Berk tribe I would consider good enough to someday marry my sister, would be..."

"Me!" Snotlout said proudly.

"Hiccup" Dagur corrected.

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Back on Berk, Hiccup finished his breakfast completely unaware he was the topic of such an important conversation. He was more concerned by the girl with the half empty plate sitting opposite him. There were already two loud snores filling the house with a cacophony deep tones and vibrations, and Hiccup feared Astrid may be about to join them in a self induced coma.

"Hey... you awake?"

"Wha... huh... yeah (yawn) I'm awake" Astrid smiled weakly.

Hiccup folded his arms and looked at his love with suspicion. She had only just answered him and already her eyes were beginning to droop.

"Come on" Hiccup stood "I'm taking you home and you're going back to bed for a few hours."

"No!" she insisted "I don't want to go sleep."

Even though he did not know why, Hiccup got the distinct feeling there was something amiss. Astrid had clearly not slept well, just as she had said, but he could not work out why she would not want to try.

"Don't worry Astrid; I'll stay with you while you rest."

The young lady thought about this, and she really did feel somewhat comforted at the idea.

"Promise?" she whimpered.

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"Yes that's good" Ruffnut nodded "Nice and deep with vertical sides."

"Thank you, thank you" Tuffnut took a bow.

He was quite proud of the pit he had dug but now he faced the problem of how to extract himself from the deep prison.

"Could you throw me a rope my dear sister?" he asked.

"I haven't got a rope; just climb up Belch's neck like you always do" Ruffnut answered.

"Um... Belch's neck in on its way to Dragon Island... along with the rest of he and Barf."

"Oh yeah... I forgot" she pondered "I wondered why it was so quiet around here. Okay hold tight and go find a rope."

As Ruffnut ran off in one direction, Hiccup approached from the other while helping a weary Hofferson back to her house."

"What the... who dug this hole in the middle of the village?" the young man said when he saw the pit.

"I did; wonderful isn't it?" a familiar voice drifted up from within.

"Oh it's magnificent... but why is it here?"

"Ruffnut and I have been setting monster traps all through the village where the beast has been before."

"Oh Thor" Hiccup sighed "Well just make sure you put up signs at each trap site to warn the other villagers."

"But the monster will see the signs and go another way" Tuffnut objected.

"Your monster can read?" Astrid asked as she yawned.

"Ah... no... I suppose not" Tuffnut relented.

"Why do they do these things to me?" Hiccup sighed as he and Astrid continued on.

"Oh it's not just you Sweetie, they do it to everyone" Astrid admitted.

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**Pleased to see so many readers here, I hope you all like it. Also a big hello to Draco38, it's good to see you here :D**

**More soon, _Marty._**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"There you go girl" Heather said as she remover her dragon's saddle.

She smiled as Windshear trotted off to make her nest near the other Razorwhips. The boys had all the supplies unloaded from Barf and Belch before she returned so the task of setting up camp was next on the list of things-to-do.

"Snotlout can start on the tents while Dagur and I take the food and other equipment into the cave. While we're doing all that, I'd like Heather to find a good spot on the volcano for out lookout post" Fishlegs ordered.

"We didn't have a lookout post when I was here with Astrid and Ruffnut last year" Heather noted.

"True, but Hiccup and I are both very concerned about the rise in Dragon Hunter activity during the last year. With so much ice on the water I doubt we will see any of their ships, but I want to be prepared just in case" Fishlegs told them.

"Hang on a minute, who put you in charge?" Snotlout sneered.

"HICCUP DID!" the other three stated in unison.

"Alright, alright" Snotlout resigned himself as he picked up a pile of tent poles.

With three people working on the campsite instead of the expected two, results came thick and fast meaning most of the work was done before Heather was halfway up the mountainside. She made good time considering she carried a large backpack containing some food, water and a camouflage cloth cover for the lookout. Down on the ground near the beach however, an earlier argument was about to restart.

"I can understand why you would think Fish Brains was not good enough for your sister, but I'm one of the greatest Viking Warriors ever to come out of Berk; after my father of course" Snotlout bragged.

"Oh really; so you think you're better than Chief Stoick?" Fishlegs said accusingly.

"Hey, the Chief has a lot of great qualities to be sure, but there always comes a time when the vitality of the younger generation easily overshadows the older members of the tribe."

"Have you told Stoick this?" Dagur half sneered and half grinned.

"Are you kidding?" Fishlegs laughed "Every time the Chief comes by, Snotlout is far too busy kissing his boots."

"HEY! I never said we should not show respect for the elderly" Snotlout argued.

"Especially when said old man could easily break you into small pieces with his bare hands" Fishlegs smirked.

"Listen Snotty" Dagur interrupted "it's nothing personnel, but a tribal leader like Heather should only marry another leader. Personally I really admire Fishlegs; my brother Hiccup often tells me about how wise and dependable he is."

"And I'm sure he also has wonderful things to say about me" Snotlout declared.

"Oh he has said a lot about you" Dagur admitted "And not all of it was as bad as you'd think."

"WHAT?!"

"But as I said, it's not about being a great warrior or a wise dragon expert, it's about being a leader; and Hiccup is a great leader."

"Well Hiccup did choose me to lead this... wait a minute, WHAT AM I SAYING?" Fishlegs caught himself in time "Heather doesn't have to marry the person you choose for her Dagur."

"I never said she did; all I meant was if she ever does marry, it would need to be to someone worthy of her" Dagur declared.

"Well I say I am worthy" Snotlout declared "And the Berserkers would be lucky to have me as the husband of their chief's sister."

"Wait a minute" Fishlegs started to wonder "If you and Heather are both children of Oswald, how come you get to be chief and not her."

"We rule the Berserker Tribe together Fishy" Dagur smiled "Heather lets me play Chief most of the time because she know I like it, but if I get a little to... berserk, she quickly steps in and pulls me back in line. What a great sister; the tribe love her too."

"All this talk is getting us nowhere" Fishlegs decided "Snotlout; I want you to take the next shift on lookout duty. So get a pack ready to take up with some more food and a few blankets; it'll be colder up there tonight than it will be down here."

"Why can't we light a fire to keep warm like we have down here?"

As soon as he had asked this question, Snotlout noticed Dagur had taken a piece of parchment out of his tunic. He made a short note, folded it up and replaced it.

"Oh Snotlout" Fishlegs sighed and shook his head "When you are supposed to be secretly watching for Dragon Hunters, it's a good idea not to light up your position."

"Okay... well... I knew that... I meant a small fire... of course."

"To a ship at sea, a fire is a fire Snotlout" Fishlegs explained.

"Alright, alright... no fire then; but are you going to do nothing but order us around, or are you going to do some work too?"

"If that's how you feel Snotlout, I'll take the next shift; happy now?"

"Ecstatic!" Snotlout said sarcastically.

Fishlegs stormed off to get his supply pack ready to take up later when Heathers shift was over. At first Snotlout felt very happy with himself, but then he noticed Dagur writing another note on his parchment. There was an odd smirk on the Berserkers face that Snotlout did not like.

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**Hello Vin :D  
****Story is before HTTYD 2; sorry I didn't make it clear at first, but Stoick does pop up later. (good to see you here too)**

**Draco38  
I never thought of Dagur encountering exploding eggs, it would have made a great comic bit. I'm not totally sure but I think it's only Gronkle eggs that go boom, and there is a brief reference to it later in the story.**

**Back with more in a few days, _Marty._**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

At last Astrid appeared to be sleeping peacefully. She had fallen asleep soon after her head had touched the pillow; but twenty minutes later while Hiccup tended the fire, she started to toss and turn and even cried out in terror. Rushing back to be with her, Hiccup had not been sure about what to do. On one hand he wanted to save her from this hellish nightmare but if he did, would she be able to get back to sleep again? In less than a minute, Astrid had become calm once more although her dream appeared to be continuing. Hiccup decided he was right not to wake her.

From Astrid's point of view, everything had been quite different and peculiar. She had wanted to talk with Hiccup about what had been happening to her, but she simply could not find the words to describe it; and not knowing what it was made her very scared. Not long after exhaustion had taken over her, the creature of black lightning had returned to torment her deep in her subconscious. Just as she had in her past dreams, Astrid stood her ground determined not to let the creature overpower her; but this time the cerebral beast did not attack.

In her dream, Astrid started to circle her foe looking for any sign of weakness, searching for the best place to strike. She noticed the first time around that the beast did not turn its head to watch her so when she had circled around for the second time, she struck and struck hard. Clenching her fists, Astrid tensed her muscles and rushed at the creature. She struck it hard between the shoulder blades before kicking the back of what she hoped were its knees. To her delight, the creature dropped to the ground, its black light growing dull; at last she was getting the upper hand.

"Please Lady Astrid... no more... please!"

All of a sudden, Astrid felt like she had the weight of a barrow full of rocks in her stomach. The creature's appearance did not change, but it did look somehow less aggressive and intimidating.

"Who... or what are you, and why have you been attacking me in my sleep?" she demanded to know.

"I would never attack you Lady Astrid, I was merely trying to help you and get through to you; but at night the curse takes over and fights back. I'm sorry... I wasn't strong enough."

"Curse, what curse?" Astrid suddenly felt confused and a little worried.

"The curse you received one year ago in the land of magic, when you were bathed in the Octarine Light."

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**Yeah this is where the story starts getting weird. It may have been a short chapter (most are in this story) but the next one will be up in a few days.**

**Bye for now, _Marty_**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The reason Stoick's head hurt was because of the excessive amount of Elydonian Brandy Yak Nog he had consumed the night before. This beverage was the same reason why the village of Berk was so quiet that morning. Eventually though, the Chief finally managed to convince himself that it was time to get up and so with much effort, he managed to get himself upright with his feet on the floor. The house was quite, save for the sound of soft snoring from his son's loft. This made Stoick feel a sense of relief and joy as he rose up and quietly made his way up the steps.

"COME ON HICCUP, WHAT ARE DOING STILL IN BED? I'VE BEEN UP FOR HOURS AND..."

To his surprise, the only one he found in the loft was a very annoyed Night Fury, wondering what all the racket was about.

"...oh... ... ... well then... what are you looking at, ya lazy beast?"

Stoick did feel rather silly, but at least nobody had witnessed his foolishness; no one who could talk about it anyway. Being far too late for breakfast, Stoick decided to wander on over to the Great Hall, where there was bound to be a pot of stew bubbling away. As he drew closer to his destination, Stoick's nose told him he was correct in his assumption.

"(sniff) Ahhh" he smiled to himself... and then he fell.

"What the... WHO ON BERK PUT THIS PIT HERE?" Stoick cried out as he picked himself up again.

"Oh hey Chief" Tuffnut looked down over the side of the hole "What are you doing in my monster trap?"

"Oh I thought this would be a lovely place to enjoy high tea with a family of Trolls I met last summer vacation."

"Really? What time do they arrive?" Tuffnut asked genuinely

"JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE SO I CAN TEAR YOUR HEAD OFF" Stoick replied bluntly.

After much heaving and hauling, along with a promise not to remove any heads in the vicinity, Tuffnut managed to assist the leader of Berk out of the hole that kept him away from an early lunch.

"What in Thor's name are you doing putting a trap in the middle of the village Tuffnut?" Stoick tried to temper his anger for the time being.

"Oh it's not just this one" Tuffnut grinned "there are Thorston Traps all over the village; but don't worry, Hiccup told Ruff and I to put up warning signs so no one would get caught.

"Warning signs?" Stoick wondered sceptically.

"Yes; apparently monsters can't read" Tuffnut whispered, just in case monsters could eavesdrop.

"And where would this sign be Tuffnut?"

"Right here Chief" the young Viking held up one very hastily made sign that read 'WORNING; DOO NOT FAUL IN THE MONSTA TRUP'.

"So this is the sign I should have taken note of" Stoick nodded.

"That's right Chief" Tuffnut said proudly.

"The sign that is in your hand, and not near the hole where I would have seen it."

"Ah... yes... I guess you should not have come by until I'd..."

"JUST PUT UP THE BLOODY SIGN!"

"Alright Chief; no need to shout."

As Tuffnut went about following his Chief's order, Stoick marched off to the Great Hall wishing he had not agreed to Tuffnuts 'No Head Removal' policy.

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**After the weirdness of the last chapter, it was nice to have some Thorston fun.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Very little was said for the rest of the morning on Dragon Island. Snotlout and Dagur simply got on with their work setting up the camp, stowing supplies and preparing for lunch with only minor conversation going on when required. There were two things making Snotlout feel most disturbed; one was the parchment Dagur would regularly refer to, and the other was the badly hidden grin of satisfaction on the Berserker's face.

"Alright, I've had it; what are you doing over there?" Snotlout huffed.

"I'm stirring the stew so it doesn't stick to the pot" Dagur replied "Anything wrong?"

"Yes there's something wrong" Snotlout snapped "You keep writing on that page in your pocket and you keep grinning at me."

"Well my writings are my own business and as for my disarming smile, I'm just happy to be here Snotty. Just look at the dragons over there, patiently waiting for their eggs to hatch. Ah new life; is there anything more beautiful?"

"Yes; my butt! Come on Dagur, what have you been writing? I know it's about me!"

"Not entirely, only about one fourth" Dagur admitted.

"AH-HA! I knew it; what is it?"

"Very well Snotlout" Dagur stood up and handed over the parchment.

Snotlout unfolded the page carefully and found small crude drawings of all four male members of the Berk Dragon Riders, and next to each one was a series of checks and crosses.

"What's this supposed to be?" he asked.

"After you declared you were good enough for my sister, I thought it might be a good idea to see how true it was. And so I have been considering all the good... and not so good... things about all of you Dragon Riders to see who could possibly fit in with the Berserker clan. Unfortunately if you study the current results, I'm afraid you are trailing a distant fourth behind Tuffnut Thorston."

"Wha... how could Tuffnut be better than me?" Snotlout gasped "What do these marks mean? I demand to know!"

"Well without going into too much unnecessary detail, you've gotten checks for your strength and your bravery."

"And what about the crosses?" Snotlout demanded to know.

"Um...let's see, there's your disrespect for our leader Fishlegs, disrespect for Hiccup, me, Heather, your own Chief, not taking your shift on lookout duty, constantly complaining..."

"Alright alright... I get the idea, but I still can't believe I only got two checks; there are a lot of good things about me and you know it" Snotlout said accusingly.

"Ah yes, you're right" Dagur agreed.

Much to Snotlouts satisfaction, the Berserker took back the note and put another check next to the picture of Snotlout. He still had more crosses than all the others, but at least he was now only one check mark behind Tuffnut.

"That's better" Snotlout beamed "Can I ask what that one was for; my good looks perhaps?"

"Oh heavens no!" Dagur laughed "This mark is because it was your insistence of being good enough for a Chiefs daughter, which made me come up with the idea of this test. And if I had not set things out in an easy to read manor, I never would have realised that Fishlegs is indeed worthy of Heather."

"OH COME ON! HOW IS THAT FAIR?"

"Sorry Snotty; do you want me to take the check off?" Dagur asked.

"NO! It's my check mark and I'm keeping it."

"What is with all the shouting going on down there?" Heather asked as she approached down the mountain path.

"Oh um... hello Heather" Snotlout spun around and smiled sweetly "Your brother and I were just having a little philosophical discussion."

"Hmm... sure you were" Heather crossed her arms and sneered.

'

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**I think Vin may have coined a new phrase; To run around in circles like a Thorston with his head cut off :D**

**See ya in a few days, _Marty_**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Once Astrid's dream had calmed down, Hiccup began to feel more confident. If she was finally getting the rest she so sorely needed, then she would surely return to her normal vibrant self when she eventually woke up. When after twenty minutes she still slept peacefully, Hiccup went back to the fire and placed two more cut logs on the top. Returning then to Astrid, he lay down beside her, took her hand in his, and closed his eyes.

Having only awoken himself a few hours ago, Hiccup did not sleep but he did find it very relaxing just to be with Astrid, listening to her soft breathing. Unable to keep his mind from wandering, Hiccup thought about what may be happening on Dragon Island. He had been a little worried about whether Fishlegs could handle Snotlout on his own, but the inclusion of Heather to the team could only help. With her there, even Dagur would be sure to stay in line, meaning Snotlout would find the odds well and truly against him at a solid three to one.

Around the middle of the day, Hiccup found the effects of breakfast were beginning to wear off but before he got too hungry, Astrid's eyes flickered open.

"Hello" he said softly.

Without saying a word, Astrid placed her hands on Hiccup's cheeks and gently kissed him.

"Thank you" she whispered.

"You're welcome" he replied "For anything in particular?"

"For loving me as much as you do."

"Ah... for that you are very welcome. But haven't you always known..."

"Yes but now I have seen for myself" Astrid said mysteriously.

"Err... huh?"

Hiccup was confused but Astrid offered no immediate explanation. She merely jumped up and dragged him out of bed.

"Come on, we haven't got much time."

"Much time for what exactly?" Hiccup asked as he was pulled towards the front door.

"I promise I'll tell you while we're working" the determined young lady replied.

She took Hiccup straight over to the workshop where leather dragon saddles, bridles and braces were all made. The only detours the couple made were a few that were necessary to avoid some of the now well signed Thorston Traps.

"What are we doing here?" Hiccup asked while Astrid searched the shop.

"Do you remember the day I first met Toothless?"

"I don't think I'll ever forget" Hiccup reminisced "When I saw you sitting on that rock sharpening your axe, my heart almost stopped. I think that must have been the only time in my life when I wasn't happy to see you."

"Do you still have that thing you were wearing; leather straps across the chest, gold buckle..."

"Sure, it's here somewhere" Hiccup answered as he joined the search "...now where did I... ah, here it is."

Pulling the odd vest out from under a work table, Hiccup held it up proudly before realising how basic and shabby it really was.

"Hmm... I think I could make you a better one if you want."

"Not enough time" Astrid replied "help me into it."

Astrid slipped easily into the vest but had some trouble with the buckle. After giving her a little help, Hiccup stepped back to see how it looked.

"Well I have to say, it looks far better on you than it ever did on me" he admitted.

"Fresh" Astrid blushed "Okay we need to make some alterations and additions."

"If you say so but um... why do you want this old thing anyway? You promised you'd tell me" Hiccup reminded her.

"Yes... I did, didn't I?"

'

'

**December at last (well it is in Oz) so the season has finally caught up with the story. One thing that makes me happy is that this little Snoggletog tale is currently running at about 50 readers; so I'll say again thank you all for giving it a go, and to Vin and Draco for the messages.**

**Back in two days, _Marty_ :)**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

At Astrids request, Hiccup started by removing the shoulder coverings from the strap vest. While he worked, Astrid pulled up a stool and sat nearby.

"I started having the dreams several night's back" she began "I didn't mention it at first because I didn't think it was important; after all, we dream all the time."

"I dream about you" Hiccup smiled.

"No you don't, you're just trying to make me feel better" Astrid blushed once more before continuing "After a few nights though, I was starting to worry about it... but again I didn't say anything because I thought I was just being foolish."

"So tell me what you were dreaming about" Hiccup suggested 'I assume it wasn't me."

"No Hiccup, far from it. I dreamed... I was getting angry... no, not angry but... well I just can't describe it; I just wasn't me anymore."

"Were you Ruffnut?" Hiccup joked.

"Don't be silly; of course not" Astrid smirked.

"Snotlout?"

"HICCUP!" she snapped.

"sorry"

"I was feeling... more basic. I know this sounds ridiculous but all I wanted, was what I wanted. All I cared about was what I wanted and nobody else mattered."

"So what did you want?" Hiccup wondered.

"Nothing really and that's the frustrating part; well... nothing important anyway."

"So what unimportant things did you want?" Hiccup tried to dig deeper.

Astrid watched as Hiccup continued to make the alterations she had requested. She was terrified of how he may react to what she was telling him, even though deep down she knew it was okay.

"I wanted... food."

"So you were hungry."

"I wanted power; to rule over everyone and everything."

"Okay... I admit... a little disturbing."

"I wanted you."

"Uh what?"

"I really wanted you Hiccup... but not in the good way we are in now. I wanted... to use you, to own you... like some kind of pet slave... and yes it was very disturbing. Maybe you can understand now why I was so reluctant to tell you about these dreams."

"I-I can see..." Hiccup's voice squeaked.

"But then there was last night."

"Um, do I really want to know about last night?"

"Yes you do!" Astrid was adamant "I haven't even mentioned the monster yet."

"Monster; like the twins monster?"

"No... I doubt it; I can't even imagine what those two are going on about. My monster really wasn't a monster."

"Okay, now I'm confused" Hiccup admitted.

"Every night, during these nightmares, the monster would eventually appear and we would fight. At first I would never win; but each night I grew stronger and stronger, until last night I finally overcame it, and was free at last. Free to do what I wanted, free to take what I wanted. In the dream I was running around the town; looking for a fight, looking for food... looking for you."

"Did err... did you find me?" Hiccup gulped.

Astrid smiled weakly; it was getting harder and harder to reveal these secrets but she couldn't stop now.

"You would have known if I had."

"Now what does THAT mean?" Hiccup gasped.

"Today... thankfully, you insisted I try and get some more sleep."

"I know; I was there" Hiccup nodded.

"But you don't know how much it really helped."

"Well you're obviously feeling much better..."

"No Hiccup, it wasn't the rest, it was the monster; I finally got to meet it."

"Oh... did you have a nice chat over a hot buttered Yak's milk while discussing your ongoing argument?"

"Yes" Astrid admitted.

"HUH?" Hiccup gasped again.

"There was no Yak milk of course, but effectively you're right. You see Hiccup, for the first time I was in control of myself when the monster appeared. For the first time I could look for a weakness and fight with more than just brute strength; but then to my surprise, the monster asked me not to fight it."

"Okay now that's just crazy" Hiccup insisted.

"It gets worse" Astrid admitted "and I need you believe me and not think I'm turning into a Thorston."

"I'm listening" Hiccup reassured her.

"The monster was real Hiccup; it was someone or something that was trying to help me. At night it couldn't get through to me, but during the day... I was more in control and could understand. Apparently it had been trying to help me understand all this, ever since the dreams started, but I wouldn't listen. The monster wasn't attacking me, it was me who was always attacking it."

"Are you sure you can believe this... what would you call it... Dream Invader?"

"No I wouldn't call it a Dream Invader, and yes I feel very strongly I can trust it. I fought it this morning but it didn't fight back and when it spoke to me, I felt calmer than I had in days. There was something else too; it referred to you as Lord Hiccup, and me as Lady Astrid."

"But we're only given those titles in..."

"Elydonia, I know. It also begged me to tell you what it told me, and insisted I could trust you" Astrid admitted.

"You know you can trust me" Hiccup was a little offended.

"Yes but when you hear the rest, you'll see why I wanted to keep it to myself. You see Hiccup, when that idiot wizard Rincewind trapped me in his dimension, I was... infected."

"You're sick?" Hiccup was suddenly very worried.

"No... well yes... but... not exactly" Astrid hedged her bets "I wasn't infected with a sickness as such, I was infected with... magic."

"I didn't think magic was a disease" Hiccup shrugged "I didn't even think it was real."

"I must admit I don't fully understand it myself. But apparently there was so much ambient magic in the Unseen University, that it combined with the magic in some of the people around me, and the magic of Hogswatch. Now Hogswatch is their version of Snoggletog and the magic of these two seasons are somehow connected; so the result of it is, I am now the recipient of an annual curse during this magical time of the year."

"Damn" Hiccup gasped.

"That's one way of putting it" Astrid agreed.

"And this is what the monster told you?"

"I know I called it a monster Hiccup, but only because I didn't know what it was; I prefer to think of it as a friend now."

So what did this friend tell you will happen when this curse takes affect?"

Astrid turned away and took a deep breath.

"I think it would be better... if you saw for yourself tonight. I need you to keep me safe, and in the morning you'll know why."

"Can't you give me a clue?"

"Please Hiccup, it's been hard enough telling you what I have; let's just get the harness finished and leave it at that."

Although he really wanted to know more, Hiccup decided not to push Astrid for any more information. As he ran through what he'd learned in his head, the whole situation seemed over the top and ridiculous. But he trusted Astrid enough to know he should give her the benefit of the doubt for now, and then they could discuss it more tomorrow.

'

'

**Hey everyone, it'll be my birthday soon (Dec. 4th) and I will be 57 years old (no wonder my bones creak). I'll leave it up to each reader if they want to send me gold, cash, precious jewels or just write a glowing review of the story so far.**

**I just reminded myself of the Captain of the Vogon Constructor Fleet from the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy when he said "Now choose; either die horribly in the vacuum of space or... tell me how good you thought my poem was."**

**For those of you who have not heard the poem in question, the first line was "Oh freckled grunt buggerly, my obliteration's are to thee..." and it only went downhill from there.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Heather looked at her brother and sighed to herself; he was up to something but she wasn't sure what it was. And as for Snotlout, he was being so helpful it was positively annoying. Not only was he repeatedly asking if there was anything he could do for her, but any request was carried out in such an urgent manor, it was if his very life depended on it. As all this went on, Dagur just continued to look satisfied with himself.

She was sorry to admit it, but Heather decided last years trip to Dragon Island had been far more relaxing, even though Astrid had disappeared into another dimension for a few days.

"I guess I'd better go and relieve Fishlegs at the lookout" Dagur noted.

As the Berserker leader rose to his feet, Snotlout suddenly and surprisingly interjected.

"Oh no Dagur, it's my turn and I'll take your shift too; we can't have you overdoing it on your first Snoggletog trip here."

"Thank you Snotlout, that's very kind of you... and respectful too."

Heather was so confused, she wasn't sure who to get upset with first; in the end, Snotlout was the nearest.

"Alright, what's going on with you Snotlout? You've never offered to do anyone else's work before, nor have you ever been so helpful."

"Oh Heather, you've cut me to the quick" Snotlout feigned being insulted "I like to think you can always rely on your ol' friend Snotlout to always pull his weight."

"You may think it, but I don't believe it" she replied.

"Then I must try and change your mind by being the new improved reliable Snotlout" he stood tall and proud.

"My mind will take a lot of changing" Heather admitted.

When Snotlout was gone, Heather turned her attention to her brother. He looked innocent enough, but that was always a bad sign.

"Come on Dagur, what is really going on with Snotlout... and with you for that matter?"

"I must admit sister that while you were away, I did mention to the Snot Man that I believed he should show a little more respect to Fishlegs, as he is leader of the team. Looks like he must have taken my comment to heart, and it now appears he wishes to make things right. Do you think I may have done wrong?"

It was clear to see Heather did not believe the explanation could have been that simple, and she wondered if there could be something more to the change in Snotlout's behavior.

"You didn't threaten him, did you Dagur?" she asked.

"Heavens no!"

"Blackmail perhaps?"

"Wouldn't dream of it" Dagur waved off her concerns.

"Alright then Dagur... but just know I'm keeping my eye on the both of you."

"I feel sure you'll like what you see my sister" Dagur smiled disarmingly.

Heather breathed a very deep sigh.

"I rarely do."

'

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**Oh well, another birthday come and gone. I had a nice day (translation: I went to work) and got three cheery reviews, so nobody has to die horribly in the vacuum of space (isn't that lovely... hmm?).**

**Thank you Vin for your convincing groveling ;) , to Permanent Guest for both kind words and being a Terry Pratchett fan, and to Draco38 for proving that I am NOT the oldest person on this site.**

**As usual, more coming in a few days, Marty.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Being the middle of winter, the light stared to fade mid afternoon. The street torches would be lit in another hour, and so as Astrid had requested, Hiccup made their apologies to his father; telling him not to expect them at this years Snoggletog Eve Feast. At first Stoick had not been happy about his son apparently trying to skip out on his responsibilities yet again, but he changed his mind when Hiccup explained he needed to take care of Astrid due to a sudden unexplained illness.

"Do you think we should call on Gothi to have a look at her?" the Chief had asked.

"I don't think Astrid would be too thrilled if we did" Hiccup said honestly "Just let me keep an eye on her and keep her home warm, and I'll come and fetch Gothi if she's needed."

"Fair enough son; but this isn't just some excuse for a romantic evening alone by a cozy fire is it" Stoick gave a wink.

The powerful Chief instantly noticed how heavily Hiccups face fell at the comment.

"I wish it were Dad, I really wish it were."

'

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'

As Snotlout sat and shivered high on the mountain side of Dragon Island, he was secretly relieved Hiccup and Fishlegs had insisted he pack more gear and bring all the food he would need. For the island now seemed much rougher, bleaker and colder than it was when he was there six months ago. There was sure to be a reason for this, but for the life of him he could not work out what it was.

Down at the Dragon Riders base camp, Fishlegs stood with his back to the fire while taking notes. As Heather watched him work, she felt reassured by the fact that he seemed satisfied with the way the dragons were behaving. If anything were to be out of the ordinary during the nesting season, Berks resident dragon expert would surely be the first to notice. Being the next person to take up lookout duty, Dagur had been napping in the nearby cave since lunch so he would be fresh and alert while staring off into the distance.

Heather placed another log on the camp fire and when she looked up, she suddenly noticed how dull the sky had become. Night would fall soon so the time had come to awaken her brother so he could get ready to leave. After lighting a torch in the campfires flame, Heather made her way into the small cave and found Dagur happily snoring away.

As she crouched down to wake him, the young lady noticed a small piece of parchment half falling out of his left hand and she wondered if it might shine a light on Dagur and Snotlout's odd behaviour. Heather knew it would be wrong just to take it, but if it happened to fall to the ground a she tried to awaken her brother, it would not be her fault.

"Dagur, wake up" she said quietly as she shook his left shoulder.

The small parchment dropped into the sand and was accidentally kicked under the edge of Dagurs yak skin ground cover.

"Oh... time for me to go?" he yawned.

"Soon brother; you get yourself some stew and I'll roll up your bedding."

"Thanks Heather" Dagur yawned again as he made his way outside.

Once he had gone, Heather fulfilled her promise and packed up Dagurs gear, picking up the dropped note in the process.

"Oh what's this?" she feigned ignorance even though she was alone "Well I'm sure it's just a bit of scrap, but I'll check later before I throw it on the fire."

'

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_**Hey you people, I'm Marty's cat Boo and I'm not happy. I've been keeping him company for years and I only just found out about his last cat Moon, and how much everyone loved him. WHY? All he ever did was try to take over the world! I just sit around the house and wait for my next meal of tender fishy chunks and make cute "mew" sounds. People passing by the front gate often say things like "Aww... what a cute kitty" but they never toss me a herring. I thought maybe if I threatened to destroy the planet them maybe you would all pay attention to me. but them I realised you're already doing it yourselves (also I still haven't found where Marty hid all of Moons weapons and equipment yet).**_

_**So here's the deal; I'm still not sure how this computer thing works but I know you can send mail with it, and if I don't start seeing food treat tributes appearing in the Inbox, then I'm opening a big can of Kitty Wrath on the lot of you. Do you people think those dead rodents we leave by the front door are a gift? No. they are a warning of what we are capable of if we don't get your total and absolute respect.**_

_**You have been warned, Boo the Great and Powerful.**_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Just as Dagur had on Dragon Island, Hiccup too took a late afternoon nap so he would be good and rested for the night ahead. Earlier on he had prepared a nice meal for Astrid and himself, before he lay down in front of the fire and drifted off to sleep. After Astrid had cleaned up her kitchen, she went to the back of the house to clean up and get ready for bed. But this evening she did not put on her normal bed clothes. Instead after washing herself, she put on some clean clothes before putting the leather strap vest over the top.

She tightened the buckle past the point of being simply uncomfortable and onto being slightly painful, but she felt certain it was a necessary precaution to take. Feeling sure she was as ready as she could be, Astrid returned to the front of the house to fetch Hiccup. He looked so sweet and peaceful, Astrid hated to disturb him, but she knew it had to be done.

"Hey Babe, its time to get up."

Hiccup slowly stirred as he opened his eyes, unprepared for the sight he beheld.

"I thought you'd be wearing your nightdress" he yawned.

"Not tonight" Astrid replied "Loose clothing and a tight harness is what I need."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"I don't want to Hiccup, I have to. Tomorrow we'll both know more, and then we'll also know what needs to be done next year. Maybe we're overdoing the precautions, but it is better than being caught unprepared."

"Alright... if you think it's the right thing to do, I'm with you."

"I knew I could count on you" Astrid smiled and kissed Hiccups cheek.

She helped him up to his feet and they went back to Astrid's bed. Just as they had prepared for earlier, the young lady lay down on her left side and waited nervously. She found it hard to believe the dreams that had come several nights ago had now led to this, as she felt the chain running through the iron ring Hiccup had fitted to the back of the harness at the base of her neck. She soon heard the clack of the heavy lock as Hiccup fastened the other end of the chain to frame of her bed.

With all the preparations complete, Hiccup placed a few rugs and blankets over Astrid before leaning over to kiss her goodnight.

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait in the other room?" he asked.

"No; stay close... and be alert!"

"Alright then" he smiled reassuringly.

Astrid watched as Hiccup pulled up a chair so he would be in her line of sight. He hoped his presence would help calm her but he knew very well that Astrid was scared; and that was why he couldn't be.

'

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**After a very cool week, the weather is finally warming up again. I just wish I knew what was up with Boo Kitty lately. I know cats are curious, but it seems he is now doing a complete and systematic search of the entire house. I wonder what she is looking for; Christmas presets perhaps?**

**Oh well, whatever. More story in a few days, Marty.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The occasional distant explosion followed by the rushing sound of falling water, indicated to everyone that the hatching of Gronckles was going well. Everyone had been pleased to see the first of the dragon offspring running around in the early evening, but now it was getting far too dark to see anymore of this years batch. Heather sat by the campfire and thought of how good it would be to see her Razorwhip again in the morning, along with all her newly hatched brood. Fishlegs meanwhile, stood at the base of the mountain with a lit torch, giving light to guide Snotlout back to the safety of the campsite.

With nobody around to see her, Heather decided now would be a good time to see what was on her brothers dropped piece of parchment, hoping it would give her a clue as to why Dagur was looking very self satisfied, and Snotlout was acting so sickly sweet. As she unfolded the note and turned it towards the light of the fire, the returning Viking in question started to approach the light before him.

"Hey Snotlout, any sign of Dragon Hunters?" Fishlegs asked.

"All signs are good sir" Snotlout reported "Not a single ship sighted and Dagur is now in place for the current shift... sir!"

"Erm... thank you Snotlout but... why are you being so... not you?"

"I have come to realise just how important our role is here, and how there can only be one leader at a time. I must follow the chain of command... sir!" Snotlout saluted.

Fishlegs really had thought he could handle this assignment, but he had not prepared himself to deal with a broken Snotlout who had an excessively gung-ho attitude. What was even worse, before he could even attempt to get to the bottom of the situation, a sudden cry of rage blasted out from behind him.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

Both Dragon Riders spun around and took a few steps back as the daughter of Oswald the Agreeable stormed forward, proving once and for all that she had a very different personality to that of her late father.

"YOU MISERABLE BUNCH OF MISOGYNISTIC SWINE!"

"Uh-oh; sounds like Heather's found Dagur's list" Snotlout took another step back.

"What note?" Fishlegs asked but it was far too late for him to receive an answer.

"I WOULD EXPECT THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOUR FROM DAGUR AND SNOTLOUT, BUT YOU TOO FISHLEGS? I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER THAN THIS."

"Heather, I swear I..." Fishlegs began.

"Just... shut up" Heather told him "I'm way too angry to listen to your excuses now."

"You can rest assured dear lady, that I..."

"Are you looking for a broken nose Snotlout?" Heather said through gritted teeth.

"No ma-am" Snotlout squeaked.

Without saying another word, Heather stormed off into the night while mumbling the occasional profanity filled rambling about how insensitive men could be, even in these modern times of the enlightened second century. Fishlegs decided it would be best for he and Snotlout to simply sit by the fireside and wait for Heather's own fire to burn itself out.

"You know why she's angry, don't you Snotlout?"

"Well... kinda... you see Dagur decided to make a list of all the good things and bad things about us, to see who might be worthy of Heather's hand."

"Isn't that really up to Heather?" No wonder you've been acting so strange; you've been trying to get in good with Dagur."

"Of course I have" Snotlout proudly admitted "I know when to go crawling in order to get favours; I'm no idiot."

"There are those who would dispute you there" Fishlegs grunted.

The boys sat by the fire in silence for most of the next hour. When he was sure Heather had finished pacing back and forth, and had stopped cursing every male on the planet, Fishlegs decided to go and attempt to make peace once more. And so as Snotlout started to snore loudly, Fishlegs rose to his feet and summoned all the courage he could muster.

"Um... Heather... I just wanted to..."

"Oh Fishlegs, you startled me" Heather said, sounding calm at last.

Heather stood up but did not turn around; she took a few steps forward and gazed up at the bright clouds, lit by the rising moon. Seeing his opportunity, Fishlegs tried to explain himself.

"I'm sorry for what happened, I didn't... I mean I wouldn't..."

"You know, I was really angry at first" Heather interrupted "and of course I still am. It's horrible to think my own brother would treat me this way but I have to remember, Dagur is really protective of me; he's been like this ever since we were reconciled. It doesn't mean what he did was right, and I still intend to make that perfectly clear to him; but for all his foolishness, at least he wasn't trying to hurt me. He did though, so I guess I'll have to measure his punishment with a little bit of understanding."

"That really is very good of you" Fishlegs admitted.

"As for Snotlout, he is a jerk, he's always been a jerk, and I fear he always will be a jerk. So I think he needs a good kick in the butt to remind him to think twice before just doing what he wants. He needs to consider other people's feelings, and their rights."

"No argument here" Fishlegs agreed.

"But when it come to you..."

"Heather please, I..."

"Don't interrupt me Fishlegs, I know this is not the kind of thing you would normally be involved in, and I'm not sure to what degree you are actually guilty here. But I've come to realise I am actually flattered that you would try so hard to be as good as you are. You may not be doing it only for me, but all these check marks must mean Dagur sees something in you... and I see it too."

As Heather went on, Fishlegs started to blush.

"And these crosses; I don't know what any of them are for, but there are so few of them... and that makes sense too. Nobody is perfect, but some people come pretty damn close. Looking at all of Snotlout's crosses, I'd say some people really need to try harder... but then again... who am I to judge?"

Turning around to face Fishlegs at last, Heather reached up and placed her right hand on his cheek.

"Don't worry Fishlegs; you and me... we're in a good place."

And so with her piece said, Heather returned to the fire to warm herself while Fishlegs took a few minutes to think about what she had said. There were numerous clouds in the sky, but the full moon still shone brightly on the nearby shore, lighting up the crashing waves.

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**Ah romance... so difficult when Snotout is nearby. Back with more soon, Marty.**

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_**There is no doubt about it, computers are not made for cats. I googled cat fude and only got a stack of things called memes. So many pictures of other cats but none of me. Surely the people of the world would want to drink in my beauty too. Must double my efforts to find weapons. Don't forget to worship me, Boo Cat.**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi everyone.**

**I thought I'd post this a bit early because I am looking forward to seeing what you think of the direction I'm taking. The reviewer Permanent Guest was surprised to see a Discworld reference, so I'm hoping to blow a few minds here. But I suppose this is Fan Fiction so you would expect a little strangeness now and then.**

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Chapter 13

The fire snapped and popped as the fresh logs Hiccup had just placed on top began to warm up. He sat back in his chair and picked up the dragon notes he had been reading, making a few corrections as he read. Maybe it would be better if he and Astrid could go to the Snoggletogs Eve Feast; but she needed him, and at least he was getting some of his backlogged work done.

At first he did not noticed the subtle change in the air for it happened very gradually, but eventually the sound of Astrid's breathing made him look up from his notes. Could she be getting ill? There was a roughness, a rasp that had previously not been there, and it forced him to hold his own breath and listen intently. Soon Hiccup had heard enough and he knew it was time to look closer. If Astrid was sweating or had a fever, Gothi would have to be told even if it make the young girl upset. Picking up the candle from the table beside him, Hiccup started to cross the room.

Since she still appeared to be sleeping soundly, Hiccup did his best to approach slowly and silently, for he did not want to wake her if it was not necessary. The first thing he checked was Astrids forehead to see if there were any beads of sweat, but what he saw instead made him question how seriously he had taken Astrid's earlier warnings. Hiccup's heart began to beat fasted when he saw the length of her nose had grown. Not only was it longer, but her nostrils were now positioned further forward, and the skin around them grew darker and darker with each passing second.

As if that wasn't strange enough, Astrid's ears also appeared to growing rapidly into sharp points covered in fine grey hair; or could it be fur? Once again Hiccup's heart rate increased as he watched the changes happen before his very eyes. Now he understood why Astrid had been so hesitant to tell him what may happen; if she had described this to him earlier, he would have had trouble believing her.

Hiccup's mind raced as he tried to put what he knew and what he was witnessing into some kind of coherent order. Astrid had told him this was related to her interdimensional journey to the Discworld the previous year; so what exactly had happened there to cause this? She had told him it was because of her exposure to magic, but what else could be responsible? There had been many stories told over feasts in the Great Hall, and during those stories Astrid had mentioned many strange and interesting people, if they could be called people; so it was possible one of them may have a connection.

Of course there was Rincewind the Wizard, he could easily take all of the blame. Then there was Cheery Littlebottom, the first openly female Dwarf in the City Night Watch. Like all Dwarves Cheery had a long luxuriant beard, but what grew on Astrid was definitely no beard. There was Constable Igor and Corporal Nobbs, but even though these two were barely human, Astrid's descriptions bore no resemblance to what Hiccup now saw. There was also Lady Vimes and her dragons, but she had not been at the Unseen University. Hiccup started to panic; the stress of the situation was building so he was finding it hard to remember all the things Astrid had told him after her return. Suddenly Astrid's heavy breathing stopped and a split second later, her eyes sprung open. There it was; the final clue to the puzzle. Instead of their usual bright blue colouring, Astrid's eyes flashed a brilliant yellow.

Captain Angua von Uberwald; the person in charge of the Night Watch team assigned to help Astrid, the person who was almost constantly by her side, the person who had accompanied her to the Unseen University, and a person who was filled with a personal magic of her own.

Captain Angua von Uberwald; Werewolf.

'

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'

**Okay... yeah... I did it. I turned Astrid into a wolf**

**I look forward to your angry letters and threats on my person (wink)**


	14. Chapter 14

**I must admit Vin, I had to look up what a Befana was because we don't have anything like that in Australia. Happy to hear I managed to surprise you though. In other good news, it seems nobody wants to kill me (yay!)**

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Chapter 14

"**Hiccup!" **

The voice that spoke his name was not the soft sweet sound he was accustomed to. It was as rough as a dragons roar and as deep as the towns signal horn.

"**Hiccup...run!"**

"No, it's still you Astrid... still you in there and I am not leaving you!"

"**I said... RUN!"**

The beast Astrid leapt forward and pushed Hiccup away. As he fell onto his back, he saw her hands no longer had fingers and he felt where her claws had dug into his chest. With every second that passed, the transformation continued and soon Hiccup could not even recognise her as the girl he loved. The werewolf's claws tried to grab at the buckle on its chest but without fingers, wrists and elbows, it was difficult for the creature to even reach the clasp.

"Astrid... stop... listen to my voice... you know my voice... come on, be calm... that's right, breath."

His words defiantly caught the creature's attention, but he had no way of knowing if she understood. The transformation appeared to be complete as the new Astrid stared, apparently transfixed by his calm oration. Suddenly the creature's visage changed to one of seething anger and it lunged at Hiccup, slashing at his chest. The beast tried to latch on to his throat but it was stopped mere inches from its goal by the chain attached to the back of its harness.

Taking the opportunity, Hiccup inched back until he had put enough distance between himself and the wolf to roll away and get back onto his feet. With his tunic torn and the aroma of his own blood filling his nostrils, Hiccup watched as the beast slowly began to pull the bed across the room. Wishing he had taken better precautions, Hiccup retreated towards the fire pit while desperately trying to come up with a half decent plan.

The beast finally came to the conclusion that it would never get very far dragging the bed around. Hiccup thought he may have given a reprieve, but instead the creature turned back, took the chain in its mouth and broke it with one snap of its powerful jaws.

"Oh come on" Hiccup half sighed.

Now free, the beast that was once Astrid turned its attention back to the young man by the fire. A low growl emitted from deep in its throat as it paced forward.

"Come on Astrid, I know you can still hear me... I hope you can still hear me" Hiccup mumbled to himself.

With a mighty roar, the werewolf leapt up and knocked Hiccup flat on his back once more, bounced off his still bleeding chest and smashed through the closed window shutters. Slightly winded, Hiccup lay still for a minute before pulling himself up again. Removing his tunic, he looked down at his injuries and was relieved to find the cuts were only superficial; so he fetched a bottle of Gothi's wound juice and a length of bandage, and started to clean and wrap his chest. The pure alcohol may have protected Hiccup from infection, but the stinging pain made him cry out in agony.

The tunic may have been torn and stained with blood, but for now it was all he had apart from his heavy Yak skin coat, so he donned them both and pulled on his boots. Opening Astrid's front door, Hiccup saw the night was naturally dark and freezing cold, but that did not matter. The realisation that his life was still in grave danger meant nothing to the young man; he had to find Astrid, and he had to do it before anyone else did.

'

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'

_**There appears to be some kind of human seasonal celebration fast approaching where on a certain day, a fat man in a red suit gives gifts to good children. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Sorry but I've known too many human children, and none of them are good (they're not too great when they grow up either). **_

_**I wonder if Mister Tubby White Beard would cough up a few choice gifts for a cat with ambition?**_


	15. Chapter 15

**More hot days ahead here in Australia, but fortunately my bus has good air-con. The story is hotting up too (see what I did there?) so I hope you enjoy. Back in a few days, Marty.**

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Chapter 15

The night air was bitterly cold on Hiccup's un-gloved hand as he held aloft a flaming torch to light his way. A flurry of snow whipped and danced in circles on the wind, but Astrid's tracks were so fresh he had no trouble following them. He had no idea where she could be headed, but he was sure it would not be towards the Great Hall. Even with the wind, along with the considerable distance between himself and the hall, Hiccup could still clearly hear the singing and many other sounds of celebration, indicating the Snoggletog Eve Feast was in full swing.

He came to a bare patch of ground where the swirling wind had not allowed any snow to gather on the ground but by walking around the edge, he was soon able to pick up the trail once more. He followed the tracks out to the western side of the village, towards the Dragon Academy, but before he had reached the gate, the tracks suddenly turned north. At first Hiccup thought the werewolf was trying to confuse him but then he realised the new direction would take the beast to Bucket's chicken run; Astrid must have picked up the scent of the birds.

Hiccup started to run, hoping to catch up to Astrid while she lingered in one place, but then he heard a loud yelp. Instantly he knew what had caused the beast to cry out so suddenly, it was a Thorston monster trap.

"What on Earth was that?" Gobber said as he appeared unexpectedly.

"Oh I'm sure it was nothing Gobber... um... what are... you doing out here?" Hiccup was surprised and disappointed to see his lifelong friend and teacher in smithing.

"I just went back home to fetch this crate of beer; that Elydonian Brandy Yak Nog tends to make me giddy after half a dozen bottles. But I think we'd better investigate that noise first, before I head back to the hall."

"Oh no need... I'll take care of it, you go and enjoy yourself" Hiccup begged "Don't forget, it's Snoggletog Eve."

"But that yelp could have been..."

"It was probably Toothless slipping in the snow" Hiccup tried to reassure Gobber.

"But Toothless is in the Great Hall with your father."

"Ah... well... there you are then; if it were something to be concerned about, you can be sure Toothless would have sensed it and gone off to investigate" Hiccup said convincingly.

"I suppose you're right" Gobber nodded "That dragon has a nose for knowing when there's trouble about."

"Exactly; so you head back and I'll let you know later if there was anything there" Hiccup smiled.

"Okay then" Gobber agreed and resumed his trip to the all, beer bottles clanking merrily in their crate.

"Phew" Hiccup exhaled.

"Wait a minute..." Gobber turned back "what are you doing out here anyway?"

"Oh just fetching some more firewood; gotta keep Astrid warm you know."

"Aye of course; give the poor lass my best."

"Will do" Hiccup waved as Gobber finally walked off again.

Having lost far too much time, Hiccup made a point of racing off in the direction of the werewolves cry only to find an empty Thorston Noose Trap, now ripped to pieces and scattered everywhere in the snow. Even though the twins had failed to catch their monster, they had spooked Astrid so she was no longer headed towards the chickens. Her tracks had returned to a westerly direction and Hiccup wondered if she may be headed for the forest. A few more minutes of track following confirmed his theory as the wolves footprints lead him into the trees.

Back at the Great Hall, Gobber sang one of his favourite songs (the one about the Goblin) as he approached the huge doors. Being very careful not to drop the crate, he lifted the bolt with his nose and used his wooden leg to pull the door open. Suddenly he was knocked onto his back as a certain Night Fury burst past him and ran off into the night.

"What do you know" Gobber said to himself as he picked up the scattered bottles "Hiccup was right; well don't worry lad, help is on the way to ya."

'

'

**_Ah... the plot thickens for a cat with ambitions. This seasonal bearded guy in the red suit apparently is willing to take requests. So all I have to do now is get myself down to the nearest shopping center (ugh... all those humans) and then tell him what I want while sitting on his lap. Sounds humiliating but I suppose sacrifices have to be made sometimes._**

**_Fight the power, Boo Cat._**


	16. Chapter 16

**Whew its still hot here. I often wonder if millions of years ago, the political leaders of Mars also said the Martian people should not worry about global warming?  
**

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Chapter 16

The moon shone through a gap in the clouds, illuminating the forest in scattered light. Tree tops swayed back and forth in the wind, making each shadow appear to be alive as Hiccup carefully followed the tracks made by Astrid in her new form. At first the trail never wavered as the werewolf tried to put some distance between itself and the trap it had encountered back in the village.

Eventually Hiccup noticed the tracks getting closer together, indicating the wolf had ceased running and now walked along the path. Every now and then Hiccup would see the path veer to the left or right as the beast investigated the various scents it discovered along the way; this was a pleasing discovery for Hiccup because now he may have a chance to catch up. Holding his torch out before him, the young man walked as quickly as he could along the wolves trail. Every now and then he would come across a sign Astrid had been digging in the snow, meaning she had paused there for maybe a minute or more.

Hiccup wasn't sure if his eyes were telling him the truth or if it were just wishful thinking, but the trail appeared to be getting fresher every few steps. He had not gone much further when he heard a deep growl onlya few trees away, so he stopped and held the torch out to his side.

"Astrid... Astrid it's me Hiccup. You know me Astrid... you know you can trust me."

The growling continued but moved around to Hiccup's left side.

"There's no need to be scared Astrid" he said even though he was terrified.

"Just think about it... that lady you met on Discworld, Captain von Uberwald... she lives with this every day... and she could control it..."

The torchlight reflected back from two bright yellow eyes as the werewolf continued to stalk Hiccup. As he watched her circle around him, he silently hoped she didn't see him as prey.

"You can learn to control it too... I want to help you... Astrid... I love you... you know that too."

Hiccup held out his hand to the wolf as it drew nearer. He would have felt much better if the growling had stopped.

"Come on... I promise to stay with you until all this is done."

He did not know if the wolf could understand him and if it did, he couldn't be sure it would believe him. Unfortunately Hiccup would not yet get the chance to find out for at that very moment, the wolf looked passed the young man just as he heard the sound of a rapidly approaching dragon.

"TOOTHLESS... NO!" Hiccup cried out as he spun around.

The dragon had only one goal on his mind, so Hiccup had to dive at his best friend and try to hold his mouth shut to prevent the wolf from receiving a fatal plasma blast.

"Toothless... its Astrid... don't shoot Bud... its Astrid, I swear it's her."

The wolf bared its huge teeth and threatened to attack, as the black dragon finally began to listen to Hiccups pleading.

"Harrumm?" Toothless vocalised.

"Yes Bud, it really is her."

Even a werewolf knows when the odds are not in its favour; and if it had any of Astrid's memories, it would know taking on a protective Night Fury would be an extremely bad decision to make. Believing discretion would indeed be the better part of valor, the wolf ran off deeper into the forest.

"Come on Bud, we gotta follow her."

'

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'

_**A photograph! All that trouble and I only managed to get a damn photograph of me sitting on mister beardy's lap. True everyone thought I was cute and I got lots of petting and chin scratches, but some food would have been nice.**_

_**Of course you know, this means war; Boo Cat**_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Without his saddle and tail, flying after the werewolf was not possible but a running dragon is still a very efficient form of transport. Together Hiccup and Toothless were able to remain close to Astrid as she bolted through the forest at a full pace. Eventually they managed to catch up to her when she stopped at a running stream. They found the wolf sitting in front of a deep pool where the water flowed quite slowly. It was clear to see she was very upset at her reflection in the water.

"Wait here Bud" Hiccup told his dragon as he walked towards the wolf.

He knew Astrid was aware of his presence, but now she appeared to be ignoring him. Hiccup couldn't begin to imagine what she must be going through, but he did know how strongly he still felt about her.

"You know... you would have to be the prettiest wolf I've ever seen" Hiccup said, trying to lighten the mood a little.

His attempt at humour appeared to have a negative effect though, as Astrid raised her head and gave a mournful howl.

"And you've got a wonderful singing voice."

The wolf's head turned around and gave Hiccup the kind of stare that would turn Yak butter rancid.

"Alright, I'm sorry; but you have to understand that I'm feeling a smidgen nervous at the moment."

The wolf turned away again, apparently trying to simply ignore him.

"Look I get it; this is new to you and... well it's new to me too so why don't we just go back home... and wait this out... together?"

The wolf dropped its head and gave an audible sigh. Seemingly resigned at last to her fate, Astrid rose up and walked over to Hiccup. As she approached, he dropped to his knees and held out his arms, giving her a massive loving hug. He knew full well the howl she gave then, was a cry of genuine despair and it truly broke his heart.

"I don't think you need this anymore" Hiccup declared as he undid the chest buckle and removed the harness.

In a strange reversal of reality, the last few links of chain attached to the back jangled merrily as it dropped to the ground, giving the dark gloomy forest a real Snoggletog feel.

"Loose clothing; you were 100% right with that decision" Hiccup smiled as he got to his feet.

Astrid was a tall wolf and Hiccup found he could put his hand on her shoulder as they began the long walk back to Berk. When she came nose to nose with Toothless, the pair sniffed each other's faces before the wolf licked the dragons chin in an obvious gesture of thanks.

"Come on Bud, let's go home" Hiccup smiled.

'

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'

_**I have just found out some new information about the gifts I should receive from the bearded guy in the red suit. Apparently he should deliver them on Christmas eve so they'll be here when I wake up Christmas morning. So going to the shopping center to talk to him wasn't a waste of time after all, because he'll bring what I asked for.**_

_** ...I assume he speaks Cat.**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi everyone. Only one more chapter to go after this. Thank you Guest Straya for reviewing and I'll give Boo Cat a tummy rub for you.**

**I just saw the HTTYD Christmas special Homecoming and realised there is now a bit of a problem with keeping my story close to canon (I try to do this if possible). If all goes well I should be able to fix it with a re-write of the last chapter.**

**Maybe I shouldn't take it so seriously, but wish me luck.**

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Chapter 18

Astrid's eyes flickered open early the next morning. By her side was a dozing young Viking, and at the foot of her bed lay a snoring Night Fury. The only light available to her was the soft red glow of the dying embers in the nearby fire pit. Holding up her hand, Astrid wiggled her fingers in front of her face and smiled at what a wonderful thing it was to possess such appendages once more.

'Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone?' she thought to herself.

Just as Hiccup had done the night before, Astrid went to the fire, dug out some of the cold ash, exposed the warmer embers, and placed a few pieces of wood on the top. She worked the fire till a few happily dancing flames appeared, and then she returned to the bed.

Being careful not to disturb him, Astrid carefully pulled back Hiccup's blanket. Wrapped around his exposed chest was a blood stained bandage, the sight of which made a tear to form in the corner of the young girl's eye.

"Oh... good morning" Hiccup yawned "You're looking well today."

"You're not" Astrid admitted guiltily.

"What this?" Hiccup looked down at his chest "Tis but a scratch."

"I'm sorry."

"No need to be... we both know you didn't do it on purpose" Hiccup took her hand reassuringly.

"But I..."

"You were under a lot of stress, and in time you did learn to control it; Astrid... I'm proud of you."

Astrid simultaneously smiled and cried as she threw her arms around Hiccup's neck and almost squeezed the life out of him.

"Do you want me to make breakfast?" Hiccup asked when she eventually let him go.

Astrid thought about it for a few seconds before deciding against the idea.

"No, I think it's time for me to rejoin Berk society."

The couple took their time cleaning up and getting ready for the day, so when the sun finally rose at about 9:15 in the morning, they were finally ready to make their way to the Great Hall.

"You coming too Bud?" Hiccup asked but the dragon just grunted his disapproval and went back to sleep.

"I swear that dragon is getting lazier and lazier."

"Oh leave him alone Hiccup; he deserves a rest after last night" Astrid patted the dragon.

"And what do I deserve?" Hiccup asked.

"Breakfast... and this" Astrid declared as she kissed his cheek.

"That'll do for a start" Hiccup smiled as he opened the door.

As they stepped out onto the front step, there seemed to be something odd going on over at the western side of the village. The couple took a slight detour on their way to the Great Hall to see what all the commotion was about, and found several Vikings gathered around one of the twins traps.

"There was a human here, and also a dragon; but judging by these paw prints, I'd say it was a wolf" Tuffnut Thorston said as he examined the ground with his curved glass.

"And a really big one too" Hiccup added as Astrid dug his ribs with her elbow.

"In fact, I'd say it was probably the most stunningly beautiful wolf ever seen in these parts" Hiccup went on.

"You can tell all that from some prints in the snow? That's amazing!" Bucket declared.

"Oh don't be so gullible Bucket" Mulch insisted "I'm sure the lad is just having us on."

"I'd say the beast was hungry and couldn't find enough food in the forest" Gobber deduced "I'd also say it was Toothless who saw it off before the critter could make a meal of Buckets chickens."

"What a good dragon; I must thank him later" Bucket nodded "...or am I being gullible again?"

"No Bucket, you were right" Mulch reassured him.

With everyone satisfied by their own deductions, attention soon turned to Astrid as she hung on tightly to Hiccups arm.

"Well then lass, it is good to see you up and about; you feeling better?" Gobber asked.

"Much better thank you" she smiled "I had a rough night, but now all I need is a little something in my stomach."

"Sounds like a good idea m'lassie" Mulch agreed.

"Yeah... and for some reason I really feel like some roast chicken."

'

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'

_**Good heavens! Do you people have any idea how hard it is for a cat to get hold of a plate of cookies? I was quite upset to find that I may not get my gifts if I don't uphold certain customs on Christmas Eve. The glass of milk was no problem but I must admit, I'm having trouble leaving it for Mister White Beardy Man, I want it myself. **_

_**This better be worth it, Boo Cat.**_


	19. Chapter 19

**It's Christmas morning here in Australia so time to post the final chapter. Thanks everyone for sticking with this story and please let me know if you liked it :D**

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Chapter 19

Epilogue

In the end, Astrid had one of the happiest Snoggletog days of her entire life. It seemed like everyone in the village was in a good mood and enjoying all the seasonal traditions, both old and new. Her right arm hurt a little after Gobber had caught her standing under the Missing Toe, but it was all part of the fun. Even Stoick was not hung over but was instead full of joy after Olvor had insisted he go easy on the Elydonian Brandy Yak Nog at the Snoggletog Eve Feast.

That evening finally heralded the Snoggletog Feast itself, bringing yet another week of celebration to its inevitable close and unlike the night before, Hiccup and Astrid took their rightful places at the Chiefs table. The party was still in full swing when word was given that the dragons had returned at last. So the entire population of Berk filed outside to greet their returning pets and fawn over the overload of cuteness brought on by a fresh batch of baby dragons.

As if the crowd weren't happy enough, they were overjoyed when the sight of Snotlout and Dagur arriving in their underwear came into view. As their dragons touched down in the middle of the crowd, the two shivering young men leapt to the ground and hurried inside to warm themselves by the fire.

"What was all that about?"Astrid asked as Heather approached carrying a large sack.

"Well you see Astrid, Snotlout and my brother both needed to be taught a lesson in respect" the young lady smiled in a very satisfied manor.

"I can believe that" Astrid nodded.

Turning to Fishlegs, Heather handed over the sack.

"I think the time has come to give them their clothes back; would you mind?"

"For you, anything" Fishlegs smiled.

As he trotted off inside, Astrid noticed a very familiar gaze in Heathers eyes.

"He's a good man" Heather noted "and a good friend."

"Maybe even more" Astrid agreed.

The feast continued long into the night as Viking children ignored their Snoggletog gifts in favour of playing with a bunch of boisterous baby dragons, but eventually the celebration wound to a close and Astrid found herself putting Stormfly to bed in the stables with her new offspring gather under her wing.

"What a good girl you are" Astrid praised the dragon as she rubbed its cheek in just the right way.

'

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'

Back at the Great Hall, Heather sat thinking by the fire with a half empty drink in her hand. This latest adventure with the Dragon Riders had changed her in a way she had not expected, and was about to set her on a new path. The young Berserker look around the room at all the Vikings still able to stand, until she came across the one she was looking for and managed to catch his eye.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself tonight" Fishlegs said as he approached.

"You know what they say; the best feast is a Berk feast" Heather smiled.

"I've never heard that said" Fishlegs looked a little confused.

"Well it should be, because it's true. Please... sit with me a moment."

Ever willing to oblige, Fishlegs did so and waited. It seemed to him Heather had something important to say and he was right.

"On the way back from Dragon Island, I had a lot of time to think."

"Think about what?" Fishlegs asked sincerely.

"About my brother, about my people, our alliance with the Dragon Riders of Berk, and how all these things fit together. I can clearly see how Dagur is doing his best to become the leader the Berserkers need, but it's obvious to me he still has a long way to go; my brother can sometimes be a little immature and impulsive."

"He has changed for the better though" Fishlegs said encouragingly.

"Yes, but he still needs help... my help. And I think it would be best if I did not let myself be... um... distracted by any outside interests I may have. Do you understand what I'm saying Fishlegs?"

"I believe I do Heather, and I must say I admire you for it."

"Thank you Fishlegs."

Heather turned away and looked around the room again at all the happy and celebratory Vikings in the room.

"I was talking to Ruffnut earlier and um... well... she has become a fine young woman and... I suppose that's all there is to say. I'm starting to feel tired so I think I'll..."

Heather got up to leave but before she could take a single step, Fishlegs grabbed her gently be the wrist.

"Yes... it is getting late" Fishlegs agreed "so sleep well; and know that the Berserkers have many friends here. Know also that you... will always have a friend here. In the decades to come, you and your family will always receive any help they need from me and my family."

"T-thank you Fishlegs" Heather barely managed to say before hurrying out of the hall.

On her way, she accidentally bumped shoulders with Snotlout and almost knocked the drink out of his hand.

"What's up with Heather?" he asked Fishlegs.

"Oh Heather and I were just having a serious talk about the future."

"Hmm... really?" Snotlout smirked "Could it be you and she are planning a future together?"

Snotlout was normally not the kind of person to pick up on other people's feelings, but this time when Fishlegs answered, empathy suddenly hit him like a charging Yak.

"I'm afraid not; it appears our futures lie in two different directions."

"Oh..." Snotlout actually put his hand on his friends shoulder "...that's a shame."

Fishlegs stood up and gave a nod of thanks.

"Yes it is; happy Snoggletog Snotlout."

"Happy Snoggletog Fishlegs" he replied as they both tapped their mugs together and drank.

'

* * *

'

If you ever had the chance to meet Hiccup and ask him to describe Astrid, you would not hear about a strong, honest young lady of great beauty, even though she was all these things. No you would hear Hiccup tell of someone who was part Valkyrie, part Angel, and part Goddess; because that's the way love works.

And so it came to pass later that night, Astrid finally lay sleeping in her bed, peacefully dreaming for the first time in many days. She dreamed of a sunny day in a green meadow where she walked hand in hand with Hiccup. In her dream he was a little taller, and a little broader in the chest and shoulders. This was not because she wanted him to be this way, but because this was how she actually saw him; that's just the way love works.

As they walked together, Astrid suddenly found she was flying up towards the bright fluffy clouds overhead. She was not riding Stormfly or any other dragon, she just flew. As she dipped, climbed and spun around the clouds, Astrid slowly became aware of a presence accompanying her.

"Good evening Lady Astrid; it's so good to see you are yourself again."

"Thank you" she replied "and I feel much better too. Your help was... well let's say things could have gone much worse."

"You didn't tell Master Hiccup, did you?"

"No...I just couldn't work out how to tell him I was about to transform onto a legendary monster and not look like an idiot."

"I told you, he would believe you."

"Yes... and I see now you were right" Astrid admitted "but at least he knows now, and we'll both be ready for next year."

"The following years will not be as bad; you already managed to gain some semblance of control and now you have experienced the full transformation for the first time, you will be ready for it in the future."

"Are you sure?" Astrid asked doubtfully.

"Yes I am; I hope I have not let you down at all."

"No... I appreciate your help."

"Even if you didn't listen to me" the presence laughed.

"Yeah... sorry about that" Astrid blushed.

"So then, I must bid you adieu; it has been a pleasure Lady Astrid."

"But wait, who are you?"

"Just a friend."

"You call me Lady Astrid; are you from Elydonia?"

"Close m'lady, my family originally came from New Loran; now I really must go."

"Oh come on... I don't even know your name."

"I don't have a name; but if it helps, you may call me by the name of my grandfather. He was the first of our clan to journey here, and the first to aid the Dragon Riders."

This revelation really shocked Astrid. She wanted to ask so much, but was sure she could not stop the presence from leaving.

"What was your grandfather's name?"

"Dylan."

Astrid tossed about in her sleep. In her dream she was alone with her thoughts once again and she already missed her dream mentor. Finally she settled down once more as the tiny spider on her bed post climbed across a thread of web and up the wall to his home in the rafters.

'Goodnight Lady Astrid' he thought to himself 'I am so happy to have known you; and just like Lord Hiccup, I too am proud of you... very proud indeed.'

'

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'

**HTTYD HOMECOMING SPOILER ALLERT !**

**The Race to the Edge show always gave me the impression of Heather and Fishlegs being a thing, but Homecoming certainly put that to rest. I am sorry if the 'break up' section was too much of a downer, but I thought it would give the Fishlegs/Heather ship some closure.**

**A very merry Christmas to you all and a special thanks to my reviewers Vin, Draco38, Permanent Guest and Guest straya.  
**

**Sorry if you don't know about Dylan the spider, he was one of my odd characters from a previous story.**

**Hopefully I'll be back next year with Snoggletog 2020, bye bye :D**

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_**WHAT A RIP OFF! Beady Man came last night but instead of leaving me a cache of weapons, all I got was a plastic ball with a bell inside, a new scratching post and a big bag of Kitty Num-Nums. How can I ever hope to follow in Moons paw prints and dominate humanity? Oh well, the Num-Nums are very tasty and I must admit, the twinkling bell is wonderfully distracting.**_

_**Maybe 2020 will be the year of the Boo Cat (maniacal laugh)**_


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